Locking device.



UNITED STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BLOOMER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

LOCKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 781,392, dated January 31, 1905. v l A Application filed November 12,l 1903. Serial ITO- 180,889.

'o ctZZtl/w'm it may concern: A .f Beit known-that I, W'ILLIAMH. BLooMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, inthe county ofV Kent and State of ,Michigam have invented new and useful Improvements in Locking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful locking device which may be applied to a sectional bookcase, to a case having a series ofl drawers, slides, and doors, and to analogous `pieces of furniture.

This invention consists in the combinationV and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. v

The objects of the invention are, first, to lock-simultaneously with one lock a plurality of drawers, slides, and doors by one operation irrespective of the height, width, or depth of the sections or the number of slides and drawers; second, to combine with a vertical rocking rod having a rocking motion lockingbars which are operated by saidv rod to engage with the drawers, doors, or slides; third, to combine witha vertical rod having a rocking motion horizontal moving locking-bars having suitable means for engaging with the rear ends of the drawers or slides and also for engaging with the doors, whether such doors be hinged at the edge or top or bottom of the sections to which they are applied; fourth, other objects hereinafter particularly pointed out and claimed. These'objects I Vaccomplish by means of the mechanism illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, Vin 'which- Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a case provided with sections and doors with a locking device, illustrating my pre-V ferred form of invention, Fig. 2 is a rear elevationof thesame, showing the vertical rod and horizontal locking-bars when used on the outside of the case. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the lineX Y of Fig. 2, showing the position of the locking parts when the case is unlocked. Fig. 4 is also a sectional view on the line X Y, showing the position of the locking parts when the case is locked. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of thedrop or swing-door lock, the same showing the hook in locking position.

D and D of the vertical rod.

Similar characters referto similar parts vthroughout the several views.

A represents the filing-section, which is `adapted to contain a series of card or' letter files which slide into the'case, said section being adapted to hold the slides in 'horizontal tiers, said tiers being placed one above the other and each of the said slides or files being provided at its rear end with ahook, which is adapted to engage with alocking-bar, as hereinafter described.

B is a section of the case having a door and, as shown in the drawings, also provided with a drawer.

B shows the back end of the section having a door. Y

C is the lower section, which -is also provided with a door, which door in the example of my invention shown in the drawings is hinged at the top, and when said door is closed it moves the locking device into position and locks all the drawers, doors` and slides in the case, and by locking the said doors the case is entirely locked. The door of section C may be locked by an ordinary` key, and any suitable kind of lock may be attachedV thereto.

' A vertical rocking rod which has the'rocking motion, as shown inthe drawings, is composed of three sections, (illustrated by D, D', and D.) These three sections are coupled together so that they rock as one rod.

E is a small hook or stud on the vertical rocking rod, which-whenthe rod is rocked moves into position one of the horizontal locking and sliding bars. These locking-bars are shown by I and J, it being understood that there will be as many of these horizontal lockrod, which hook passes through a slot in the locking-bar J, said locking-bar J being moved by the turning of the rocking rod in the same manner and at the same time that the bar I is turned.

G is a hook or stud which moves the slide* bar K to lock the door-section B. This bar K passes transversely at the bottom, or below the section B, and is moved by the turning of the perpendicular locking-rod.

The peculiar arrangement for locking the door of section B will be more fully described hereinafter.

H is a hook or stud on the vertical rocking rod, to which the rear end of the sliding bar L is pivoted. The closing of the door of section C 'and moving the sliding bar L backward by means of the stud rocls the perpendicular rocking rod and moves the upper locking-bar I in the staples 7 and 7. The drawers or slides in section A are provided with the hooks a and b, which hooks pass through the slots in the locking-bar I, when the drawer or slide to which they are attached is unlocked, and the longitudinal movement of the locking-bar I causes the same to slide under the said hooks, thereby locking the drawers or slides to which the said hooks are attached. Each hook on the drawers or slides may be so constructed as to automatically engage with the horizontal locking bars by merely pressing in the drawer or slide without reference to the position of the sliding lockingbars. In the drawings there is one slide or letter-file, (shown in Fig. 1;) but it will be understood that this entire space is filled with letter-tiles, slides, or drawers. The lockingbar J ,which moves in the staples 8 and 8,isalso provided with slots, and the drawers M are provid ed with hooks, two of which are shown` one by a and one by Each of these hooks passes through a slot in the locking-bar J, and as the bar J is moved the hook engages with the said bar.

In the drawings I have shown a single drawer in a section locked, as above described; but it will be understood that one or more tiers of drawers may be used.

K is a slide-bar at the bottom of the section B, extending from front to rear thereof, and is moved, by means of the stud or hook G', to lock the door of section B by pressing against the portion Z of Fig. 5, said Fig. 5 showing the hook P with one end Z bent downward, which contacts with the slide-bar K and which is pivoted to the arms P on the plate T and raises the hook part of P, so as to engage with the staple or loop T' T, passing through the slot W in the plate T. In practical use I attach this plate T to the front edge of a shelf, the same being provided with a slot through which the staple or loop on the door passes when the door is closed, and the pressure upon the part X raises the hook P into engagement with such staple, thereby locking the door. The plate T is provided with arms, as shown in Fig. 5, to which arms the hook P is pivoted. I prefer to construct the hook P ot' spring metal, the engaging ends being so shaped that the closing of the door will automatically engage the loop carried by said door with said hook without reference to the position ot' the vertical rocking rod.

L is a slide-bar at the bottom of section C, passing from front to rear of said section,and is adapted to move the vertical rocking rod when the door is closed. The door pressing upon the front end ot' the slide-bar L causes the same to move backward and turns the vertical rocking rod, giving it its rocking motion, partially revolving the same, and thereby operating all the locks or catches upon the drawers, slides, and doors above the door on the base C.

M is a drawer which is provided with a hook b, which passes through one ot' the slots in the locking-bar J, as above described, and is locked by the longitudinal movement of' the locking-bar J.

N is a ferrule or sleeve used in connecting together the two portions ot' the vertical rod D and D'. O is another ferrule or sleeve connecting the sections D and D" of the vertical rod.

P is the hook of the locking device for the door in section B and has already been dcscribed.

Q is a spring attached in anysuitable manner to the rod L, and when the door of the section C is opened it moves forward, said rod L turning the rocking rod D D D, moving therewith the locking-bars I and J and also moving the transverse rod K, thereby unlocking all the doors, drawers, and slides in the case.

R isasmall hook to which in the example of my invention shown in the drawings the spring Q, is attached to the slide-bar L. Any other means of attachment, however, may be used.

S is the lock of any ordinary construction for locking the door of section C when the same is closed.

In the drawings, a and show the hooks on the drawers M. a and Z2 are the hooks on the end of the slides which pass through the slots in the locking-bar I for the purpose of locking such sections in the case, these slides being in section A.

In attaching together the sections of the vertical rod I use tenon and mortise joints al and e; but any other form of coupling may be used, and the coupling by means of sleeves or ferrules alone, in my opinion, is suiiicient.

Q, 3, 3, 4, and 5 are eyebolts or screws for holding the vertical rod, composed of the sections D, D, and D, in position. Other means for supporting the same may be used, and I do not limit myself to the supporting of the rod and locking-bars upon the outside oi' the case, as shown in the drawings. Beneath the IOO IIO

IIS

bottom of the section 'Dlll of the rod I prefer to have a metallic disk or support', as shown in the drawings by6.

7, 7', 8, and 8 are staples for supporting the locking-bars I and J and allow said bars to move longitudinally. Any other vform of support which will allow the longitudinal movement, however, may be used.

This invention, although peculiarly adapted to cases made in sections, may be applied to ber of the case for turning said rocking rod.

2. In a case having a plurality ot' drawers,

- the combination with a rod havinga rocking motion, of a plurality of horizontal bars longitudinally moved, means carried by the rod for actuating the bars, a series of sliding drawers,

each provided at its rear end with means for locking engagement with said horizontal bars, and sultable means for giving the rocking motion to the rod, whereby the horizontal ,lock

ingbars are simultaneously engaged with all of said drawers,and a spring for-reversing the movement of said rocking rod for the Ipurpose of unlocking the said drawers.

3. In acase having drawers, the combination with a rocking rod, of a plurality of horizontal locking-bars, means for giving a rocking motion to the said rod, means lcarried by the rod for longitudinally moving the said horizontal bars, means carried by the drawers for engagement with slots in the horizontal bars whereby the said drawers and bars are locked together, and a transverse bar operated by closing one of the section-doors, whereby the vertical rod is rocked into position to lock all the drawers and doors, substantially as described.

4. In a case composed of sections placed one above the other, a rod composed of sections coupled together and placed vertically, said rod being capable of rocking motion, movable locking-bars operated by saidvertical rod,

suitable means for-engaging said bars with -the drawers in said case-sections, and suitable means -for giving the rockingmotion to said rod, whereby the bars are locked to the drawers in sections. l

5. In a case composed of a series of sections placed one above the other, a part of said sections having drawers and a part having doors, a rocking rod, said rod being composed of sections coupled together, a locking-bar for each i tier of'drawers, suitable means carried by the said drawers for engagement by the bar, a transverse bar for each section having a door,

means connecting the same with said rocking rod, and a door adapted to press back upon the transverse bar for the purpose of giving the rocking motion to said rod, whereby all the drawers in the said case are locked to the bars, and the doors, with the exception of the one having the lock, are locked by means of a transverse bar operated directly from-the rocking rod.

6. In an article of furniture having doors the combination with a rocking rod, of a transversely-movable bar Kconnected to the rod, a locking device consisting of the hook P properly supported by a door, and having a projection Z against which said movable bar K presses to raise the hook in a locking position for the purpose of locking the door and means 'for moving the rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof 1 have hereunto set my hand in presenceof two subscribing wit- Witnesses:

EDWARD TAGGART, lMARY S. TooKER.- 

